Clothes-drying machine.



r. ,m ...m n l Patented Uct. 22, 190|.

lW. M. BARNES.

CLOTHES nnvma MACHINE. (Application led Feb. 21, 1901.)

(No Model.)l

No. 684,779. Y Patented Oct. 22, |90I. W. M. BARNES.

CLOTHES DRYINGMACHINE.

(Apphcatlon filed Feb 21 1901 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

l'fnesses.'

No. 684,779. Pafented'oet. 22, |901.. w. M. BARNES.

CLOTHES -DRYING MACHINE.

(Application lad. Feb. 21, 1901.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets--Sheet 3.

.2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l.

UNITED STATES PATENT TFTC.

i VILLIAM M. BARNES, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CLOTHES-DRYING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION fer-ming part of Letters Patent Ne. 684,779, dated october 22,1901. Application filed February 21, 1901. Serial No. 48,2151. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. BARNES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Clothes-DryingMachines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the aecompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification. Y

My improvement relates to drying-rooms, and particularly to that class of drying-rooms wherein the goods to be dried are arranged in rows therein and introduced and removed one row at a time.

The object of the invention is to permit the loading of all the goods for .all the rows at one point and the unloading of all the goods for all the rows at another point; and to this end the invention consists of means whereby the rows of goods may be successively introduced at one side, fed toward the other side, and removed.

The invention also consists in certain more or less specific features of construction whereby the above object is obtained and in certain features oi" construction relating to the track and carrier therefor.

In the drawings, Figure l is a section of the drying-room on the line l l of Fig. 2. Fig.

3 is a sectional plan on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 of a portion of the' apparatus, showing the inlet and outlet and arrangement of tracks in front of and exterior to the room.

A is the drying-room; B, the heating-coils therein; C, the fan for circulating the air; D D', an endless conveyer; E E E2 E3 E4 E5 E6 E7 E8 E9, a series of tracks carried by the conveyer D; F F, &c., a series of goods-carriers running in and sustained by the tracks; G, the entrance to the drying-room; H, the exit therefrom; E10, a short section of track extending through entrance G; E11, a short section of track extending through exit H; E12 E13, short sections of track exterior to the drying-room, hinged, respectively, to sections Ewand E11; E11, a section of track exterior to the drying-room,connecting tracks E12 and E13; E15, a branch track adjacent to track E12, and E16 a branch track adjacent to track E13.

Fig.

The heating-coils B extend in a horizontal direction along the two side walls and the rear wall of the drying-room and are prefer-v ably located, as shown, nearer to the door than to the ceiling.

The fan C is located at'the top of the room and preferably centrally thereof, as shown.

It is secured to the shaft c, which extends up through the top of the room and is supported outside thereof in bearings on a bracket c?.

c is a pulley on shaft c.

c4 is a pulley on driving-shaft c3, supported in bearings on brackets c5 and c6.

c7 is a driving-pulley for driving-shaft c3.`

o8 is a belt connecting pulleys c1and c. Ro-

tation is thereby imparted to the fan.A

The heated air from the coils passes up along the sides to the top of the room and is then displaced toward the center, where the fan forces it down to the floor and displaces it toward the sides, where it is reheated. This insures a continuous circulation of the heated air throughout the Whole room and maintains all parts of the room at a substantially nniform heat. A drying-room constructed on this principle is shown in my application, Serial No. 23,560, tiled July 14, 1900.v

The endless conveyer is composed of two sprocket-chains D and D', extending from side to side of the roomk and engaging, respectively, the sprocket-wheels cl d and d d'. One pair of sprocket-wheels@ d is secured to shaft d?, and the other pair secured to shaft d3. These shafts extend from front to rear of the room and rotate in bearings secured to the front and rear walls of the room. The shaft cl3 extends through the rear wall of the room and has secured to it exterior to the room the sprocket-wheel d4.

dsis a shaft rotating in bearings secured to the outside of one of the side walls.

d is a sprocket-wheel secured to the rear end of shaft d5.

d7 is a sprocket-chain connecting sprocketwheels d4 and d6.

d8 is a crank secured to the front end of shaft d5. Thus by turning crank d8 the conveyer D may be operated.

e e, dac., are clips secured at intervals to clips, one clip of the pair being on sprocketchain D and the other clip on sprocketchain D'.

e e', dsc., are angle-irons extending along and secured to the front and rear walls of the room. The ends of clips e rest on angledrons e', thereby relieving the chain of the weight of the tracks suspended beneath it.

The tracks E to E1 are constructed substantially as shown in my application, Serial No. 23,500, led July 14, 1900. Each track is of tubular form slotted longitudinally along its bottom. The carrier F may be of any suitable construction. I have shown it as consisting of a barf, having projecting pins f', on which the goods are suspended, and being hooked to upwardly-projecting hooks f2, extending through the slot of the trackway and carrying a bearing for the shaft of the rollers f3. There is a pair of rollers on each shaft, and the rollers ride on the solid portion of the bottom of the track on either side of the slot. The bar fis provided with handles f4, whereby the carrier maybe man nally slid back and forth on the track.

The tracks E10 and E11 are secured to hangers e3, secured to the outside of the front wall of the drying-room.

The operation of the apparatus so far as it has been described is as follows: The carrier -is moved around to, say, the point X, and

the goods are there hung upon the carrier. The operator opens the door of passage G and moves the carrier over tracks E14, E12, and E11 to the particular track which abuts against track E10. By turning crank d8 the endless conveyer may be operated to bring the several tracks carried by it successively into alinemcnt with track E10, and all the movable tracks carried under the conveyer may be thus successively filled. Presuming that the lnovable tracks are in the position shown in the diagrams and that tracks E, E', E2, and E3 are filled, the operation now proceeds as follows: The door of the passage H is opened and the carrier on track E, containing goods that have been thoroughly dried, is rolled out over tracks E11 and E13 to track E11 to about the point X. At the same time a carrier that has been previously loaded with a batch of wet goods is rolled over tracks E14, E12, and E10 to track E1. The doors are now closed. The dried articles are now removed from the first-named carrier and the empty carrier swung around track E14 from point X' to point X. As soon as they are ready a batch of wet goods is suspended from this carrier, the crank (ZB is turned to bring track E into alinement with track E11, and track E5 into alinement with track E111. The same operation is then repeated, and so on successively, all the tracks depending from the conveyer but one being constantly filled when the apapparatus is worked to its full capacity. Of course a suitable interval elapses between empre the introduction and removal of successive batches of goods, so as to give each batch sufficient time to thoroughly dry.

It is sometimes difficult to bring the movable tracks into exact alinement with the fixed tracks E1o and E11. I have provided the following means for insuring this: I is a shoe fitting over the tubular track E11. A similar shoe is provided for track E10. Each shoe extends through the front wall of the drying-room, and its inner end is provided with projecting cam-wings On the top of that part of the shoe projecting outside the drying-room is a pin t. i2 is a lever hinged at i4 to a bracket on the outside of the front wall of the drying-room and having a slot t3 engaging the pin t. The levers are duplicated for the two shoes. By turning the le` ver the shoe is moved inwardly until it abuts against the angle-iron e. If the operator has been unable to bring one of the movable tracks into exact alnement with either track E10 or E11," the inward movement of the corresponding shoe will cause one of the wings 't' thereof to engage the end of the movable track and move it into exact alinement with the adjacent track.

It is often desirable to load the wet goods on the carrier and unload the dried goods at a point far removed from the drying-room. To permit this, I have provided the tracks E15 E16, which are adapted to be put in line of tracks E12 E13, respectively, by means of the following mechanism: 7c is a lug extending in front of and above .the track E13. 7c is a pin on the top of lug t. le? is a bell-crank lever pivoted on the bracket E11. One arm of the bell-crank lever is slotted at 7c3, the slot engaging the pin 7c. By turning lever 7a2 track E13 is swung on its hinge out of line of track E14 and into line of track E11. Stops 7a4 are provided on tracks E1'Jl and E14 to limit the movement of track E13 in each direction. Similar devices are provided to switch track E12 into connection with either track E11or E15.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is

l. In a drying apparatus, in combination, a drying-room, a series of carriers arranged in substantially parallel relation therein and extending toward the front and rear thereof, two openings into the front of the room at opposite sides thereof, and means for sustaining the carriers and moving them successively opposite the said openings, substantially as described.

2. In a drying apparatus, in combination, a drying-room, a series of carriers arranged in substantially parallel relation therein and extending toward the front and rear thereof, two openings into the front of the room at opposite sides thereof, and means for sustaining the carriers and moving all of them simultaneously, whereby two of the carriers IOC may be simultaneously brought respectively opposite the two openings, substantially as described.

3. In a drying apparatus, in combination, a drying-room, a series of movable carriers arranged in substantially parallel relation therein and extending toward the front and rear thereof, an opening into the front of the drying-room, a conveyer extending transversely of the carriers, means for moving the couveyer, and means enabling the conveyer to move the carriers in the direction of its movement to bring them successively opposite said opening and permitting the carriers to be moved at substantially right angles to the direction of the movement to withdraw them from the room through said opening, substantially as described.

4. In a drying apparatus, in combination, a drying-room, a series of movable tracks therein, carriers adapted to travel on said tracks, a conveyer from which all the tracks are suspended,said conveyer extending transversely of the tracks, and means for moving the conveyer, substantially as described.

5. In a drying apparatus, in combination, a drying-room, a series of movable tracks arranged in substantially parallel relation therein, carriers adapted to travel on said tracks, an endless conveyer from which all the tracks are suspended,said conveyer extending transversely of the tracks, and means for moving the conveyer, substantially as described.

6. In a drying apparatus, in combination,

'a drying-room, heating-coils arranged' along the walls thereof, a circulating-fan arranged near the top thereof, a series of movable tracks therein, carriers adapted to travel on said tracks, a conveyer from which all the tracks are suspended, said conveyer extending transversely of the'tracks, and means for moving said conveyer, substantially as described.

7. In a drying apparatus, in combination, a drying-room, heating-coilsl arranged along the walls thereof, a circulating-fan arranged near the top thereof,a series of movable tracks arranged in substantially parallel relation therein, carriers adapted to travel on said tracks, an endless conveyer from which all the tracks are suspended, said conveyer extending transversely of the tracks, and means for moving said conveyer, substantially as described.

8. In a drying apparatus, in combination, a drying-room, a series of movable tracks arranged in substantially parallel relation therein, carriers adapted to travel on the tracks, an opening into the drying-room, means for moving the tracks in one direction in one horizontal plane to successively bring the several movable tracks opposite said opening, and means to move the tracks in the opposite direction in a dierent horizontal plane, substantially as described.

9. In a drying apparatus, in combination, a drying-room, a series of movable tracks arranged in substantially parallel relation therein, carriers adapted to travel on the tracks, two openings into the front of the dryingroom at opposite sides thereof, and meansfor successively bringing the several movable tracks opposite said openings, substantially as described.

10. In a. drying apparatus, in combination, a drying-room, a series of movable tracks therein, carriers adapted to travel on the tracks, two openings into the drying-room, means for successively bringing the several movable tracks opposite said openings, a connecting-track exterior to the drying-room extending from a point opposite one opening to a point opposite the other opening, and means whereby the carriers may be shifted from the connecting-track to the movable track opposite one opening and from the movable track opposite the other opening to the connectingtrack, substantially as described.

11. In adrying apparatus, in combination, a dryingroom, a series of movable tracks therein, carriers adapted to travel on the tracks, two openings into the drying-room, means for moving all the tracks simultaneously whereby two movable tracks may be simultaneouslybroughtrespectively opposite the two openings, a connecting-track exterior to the drying-room extending from a point opposite one opening to a point opposite the other opening, and means whereby the car` riers may be shifted from the'connectingtrack tothe movable track opposite one opening and from the movabletrack opposite the other opening to the connecting-track, substantially as described.

12. In a drying apparatus, in combination, a dryingroom, a series of movable tracks therein, two openings into the drying-room, a relatively-xed track extending through eachopening, means for successively bringing the several movable tracks opposite the fixed tracks, a track exterior to the dryingroom connecting the outer ends of the fixed tracks, and carriers adapted to travel on the tracks, substantially as described.

13. In a drying apparatus, in combination, a drying-room, a series of movable tracks therein, two openings into the drying-room',`

a relativelyfixed track extending through each opening, means for moving all the movable tracks simultaneously whereby two mov- IOO IIO

able tracks may be simultaneously brought track which terminates at a point opposite one opening, carriers adapted to travel on said tracks, and means whereby the carriers may be shifted from the movable track opposite the last-named opening to either the connecting-track or branch track, or vice versa, substantially as described.

15. In a drying apparatus, in combination, a drying-room, a series of movable tracks therein, two openings into the drying-room, means for successively bringing the several movable tracks opposite said openings, a connecting-track exterior to the drying-room extending from a point opposite one opening to a point opposite the other opening, two branch tracks which terminate respectively at a point opposite the two openings, carriers adapted to travel on said tracks, and means whereby the carriers may be shifted from the movable track opposite each opening to either the connecting-track or branch track or vice versa, substantially as described. 1G. In a drying apparatus, in combination, a drying-room, a series of movable tracks therein, two openings into the drying-room, means for moving all the tracks simultaneously whereby two "movable tracks may be simultaneously brought respectively opposite the two openings, a connecting-track exterior to the drying-room extending from a point opposite one opening to a point opposite the other opening, two branch tracks which terminate respectively at a point opposite the two openings, carriers adapted to travel on said tracks, and means whereby the carriers may be shifted from the movable track opposite each opening to either the connectingtrack or branch track or vice versa, substantially as described.

17. In a drying apparatus, in combination, a drying-room, a series of movable tracks therein, two openings into the drying-room, a relatively-fixed track extending through each opening, two track-sections exterior to the drying-room in line respectively with the two fixed tracks, a connecting-track extending from a point in front of one track-section to a point in front ofthe other track-section, two branch tracks terminating respectively in front of the two track sections, means whereby a track-section may be moved into line with the corresponding branch track or the adjacent end of the connecting-track,and carriers adapted to travel on said tracks, substantially as described.

18. In a drying apparatus, in combination, a drying-room, a series of movable tracks arranged in substantially parallel relation therein, an opening in to the drying-room, a relatively-ixed track extending therethrough, carriers adapted to travel on the tracks,means for successively bringing the several movable tracks opposite the fixed track, and a device for bringing the ixed track and the movable track opposite thereto into exact alinement, substantially as described.

19. In a drying apparatus, in combination,

a drying-room, a series of movable tracks therein, an opening into the drying-room, a relati vel y-ixed track extending therethrough, carriers adapted to travel on the tracks,means for successively bringing the several movable tracks opposite the fixed track, a shoe slidable on the fixed track having two cam-wings adapted to engage the sides of the movable track opposite the fixed track, and means for sliding said shoe upon the fixed track, substantially as described.

20. In a drying apparatus, in combination, a drying-room, a series of movable tracks arranged in substantially parallel relation therein, carriers adapted to travel on the tracks, and sprocket-chains extending transversely of said tracks and from which said tracks are suspended, and means for moving said sprocket-chains.

2l. In a drying apparatus, in combination, a drying-room, a series of movable tracks arranged in substantially parallel relation therein, a conveyer extending transversely of said tracks, clips secured to the conveyer, the tracks being secured to and supported from said clips, and means for moving said conveyer, substantially as described.

22. In a drying apparatus, in combination, a drying-room, a series of movable tracks arranged in substantially parallel relation l from said clips, supports on the side walls ol` the drying-room extending parallel to the' conveyer and engaged by said clips, and means for moving said conveyer, substantially as described.

23. In a drying apparatus, in combination, a drying-room@ series of movable tracks arranged in substantially parallel relation there in, carriers adapted to travel on the tracks, endless sprocket-chains extending trans` versely and supporting said tracks, sprocket wheels about which said sprocket-chains eX- tend, two shafts each of which has secured thereto one of the sprocket-wheels for each sprocket-chain, and means for turning said shaft, substantially as described.

24:. In a drying apparatus, in combination, a drying-room, a series or movable tracks arrangedin substantially parallel relation therein, carriers adapted to travel on the tracks, endless sprocket-chains extending transversely of and supporting said tracks, clips secured at intervals to links of the sprocketchains, the tracks being secured to and supported from said clips, and means for moving the sprocket-chains, substantially as described.

25. In a drying apparatus, in combination, a dryingroom, a series of movable tracks arranged in su bstantially parallel relation therein, carriers adapted to travel on the tracks, endless sprocket-chains extending transversely of and supporting said tracks, clips secured at intervals to links of the sprocket- IOO TIO,

chains, the tracks being secured to and supported from said clips, supports on the side walls of the drying-room extending parallel to the sprocket-,chains and engaged by said clips, and means for moving said sprocketchains, substantially as described.

26. In a drying apparatus, in combination,

a drying-room, heating-coils arranged along the walls thereof, a circulating-fan arranged near the top thereof, a series of movable tracks therein, two openings in said dryingroom, a track exterior to the drying-room extending from a point in front of one opening to a point in front of the other opening, a conveyer from which all the tracks are suspended, said conveyer extending transversely ofthe tracks, means for moving said conveyer, and carriers adapted to travel o n said tracks, substantially as described.

27. In a drying apparatus, in combination, a drying-room, heating-coils arranged along the walls thereof, a circulating-fan arranged near the top thereof, a series ot' movable tracks therein, two openings in said dryingroom, a track exterior to the drying-room extending from a point in front of one opening to a point in front of the other opening, a conveyer extending transversely of the tracks, clips secured at intervals to the conveyer, supports extending along the walls of the room parallel to the conveyer and engaged by said clips, the 'movable tracks being suspended from said clips, means for moving said conveyer so as to bring two movable tracks of the series opposite the respective ends of the connecting-track, and carriers adapted to travel on said tracks, substantially as described.

28. In a drying apparatus, in combination, a drying-room, a series of movable tracks arranged in parallel relation therein, carriers adapted to travel on the tracks, and a plurality of endless conveyers, upon which the movable tracks are sustained, each conveyer traveling in one vertical plane, substantially -as described.

29. In a drying apparatus, in combination, a series of carriers arranged in substantially parallel relation therein, and extending t0- ward the front and rear thereof, an opening in the front of the room, and a plurality of endless conveyers, upon which the movable 30. In a drying apparatus, in combination,

a drying-room, a series of movable tracks arranged in substantially parallel relation therein, and extending toward the front and rear thereof, corresponding ends of all the tracks being in substantially the same vertical plane, an opening in the front of the drying-room, a relatively-xed track extending through said opening, carriersv adapted to travel on the tracks, and means for successively bringing the several movable tracks opposite the fixed track, substantially as described.

3l. In a drying apparatus, in combination, a drying-room, a series of movable tracks arranged in'substantially parallel relation therein, and extending toward the front and rear thereof, two openings in the drying-room, a relatively-fixed track extending through each opening, carriers adapted to travel on the tracks, and means for moving the movable tracks successively toward one side of the room in one horizontal plane and toward the other side of the room in a different horizontal plane, and for successively bringing them opposite the fixed tracks, substantially as described.

32. In a drying apparatus, in combination, a drying-room, a series of movable tracks arranged in substantially parallel relation therein, and the ends otL all the tracks being in substantially the same vertical plane, two openings in the drying-room, a relatively-fixed track extending through each opening, carriers adapted to travel on the tracks, and means for moving each movable track successively in opposite directions and all the movable tracks simultaneously, whereby two movable tracks may be simultaneously brought respectively opposite the two xed tracks, substantially as described.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand, at Philadelphia, this 13th day of February, 1901.

WILLIAM M. BARNES.

Witnesses:

M. F. ELLs, MfM. HAMILTON. 

